Why are the files so small? Did Canon choose to compress the only files to be seen for a few following months, so that they save few Yen on data transfer costs? Or are these some basic quality files from camera? Is anyone able to find in the EXIFs, at what quality these files were shot?

Were these shots photographed by competent photographers?

I have an unpleasant feeling of softness and lack of fine detail from all these photos.